As of June 7, 2025
Benchmarks of Democratic Backsliding and Erosion
Coup 2.0. Trump continues the January 6 coup attempt. In an unprecedented memorandum to the U.S. Attorney General, Trump directed the Department of Justice to investigate an alleged criminal conspiracy by former President Biden and his aides to cover up his mental decline. The memorandum also claims that Biden was not mentally competent to sign legislation into law, appoint federal judges, issue executive orders, etc. In effect, Trump is attempting to complete the January 6 insurrection and coup, by erasing the Biden Administration. I suspect the results of the investigation will be used to attempt to discredit and remove all federal judges appointed by Biden, to include Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown, and declare all laws signed by Biden are null and void.
In another act of calculated revenge and cruelty, the wrongfully detained and deported man from Maryland, Abrego Garcia, was returned to the U.S. this week from El Salvador, after weeks of delays and claims he couldn’t be repatriated to America. Garcia was flown to Tennessee where a federal multi-count indictment awaited him. Nine counts of driving undocumented immigrants across the country and one count of conspiracy. Garcia is paying the price for Trump’s illegal deportation program being halted by the federal courts.
On June 4, the White House issued a proclamation targeting citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States. National security reasons were listed for the travel ban, but they disproportionately targeted African countries, confirming suspicions that Trump is engaged in a campaign to dehumanize and criminalize blackness.
The Department of Defense announced plans to rename the supply ship Harvey Milk. The renaming is part of a supposed DoD initiate to reinvigorate the military’s warrior spirit. Milk was a veteran and was assassinated while holding political office. He was also gay. Does Hegseth know that one of the most feared ancient Greek fighting units was known as the Sacred Band of Thebes. It was composed of 300 fighting men, basically 150 partnered lovers. Also, up for consideration by DoD is to rename ships named after Ruth Bader Ginsberg and anti-slavery warrior and freedom fighter Harriet Tubman. What is it with Hegseth and Trump and their hatred of powerful women and gay leaders? Anyway, it has long been considered taboo to rename ships. Bring bad luck they say.
The battle between Harvard and Trump continues with the administration issuing a proclamation banning foreign students issued visas to attend Harvard from entering the country. That ban was halted temporarily by a federal Judge’s injunction on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security requested that the Defense Department activate 20,000 national guard troops to assist their law enforcement efforts to remove migrants from the country. The National Guard units would be used for a host of duties, to include helping track down migrants, assignment to detention facilities, transporting migrants, providing other logistical support. Apparently, in order to skirt Posse Comitatus restrictions, the guard units aren’t being ‘federalized’ so that they can participate in law enforcement operations. That Act prohibits the military from engaging in law enforcement directly. Such as making arrests like police officers or directly pursuing suspects.
In a developing story, Trump activated 2000 California national guardsmen for deployment to Los Angeles following protests and clashes with ICE agents conducting roundups in heavily Latino city districts. Tensions are high and are exacerbated by self-inflicted stupidity. For instance, earlier in the week in Torrance, a coastal city within the Los Angeles area, a 4th grade boy at his elementary school was detained along with his father. They were separated at an immigration hearing, sent to Texas, to await deportation to Honduras.
These provocative actions and others – such as arriving in neighborhoods in military-like uniforms, long guns, body armor, and armored vehicles – are counterproductive and lead to backlashes. What the hell did they think would happen? Defense Secretary Hegseth chimed that Marines at a nearby base were on high alert and ready to deploy if needed. Hegseth, “ARE YOU FUCKING BAT SHIT CRAZY?” That’s a rhetorical question of course. It seems Trump and his minions are itching to kill Americans in American streets.
